Situational Leadership

What?
In my present job at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren Division, I work in a group that executes a variety of tasks.  Some tasks take all year to complete, with well-defined objectives and timelines.  At the other end of the spectrum, other tasks must be completed with little warning and short deadlines (days to weeks).  In addition, I also serve as a mentor for new employees, summer interns, and co-ops working with our group who have little workplace experience and few developed workplace skills.  Several of these employees have voiced concerns about being underutilized, and this has bothered me.  How can I provide them with satisfying work, meet their developmental needs, and ensure productivity while meeting demanding timelines?

So What?
Situational leadership may provide the leadership model needed to mentor the variety of employees in the varying types of work situations we encounter in our group.  According to Northouse (2010), leaders using situational leadership "match their style to the competence and commitment of subordinates".  The competence and commitment of the subordinates may vary over time, so the situational leadership model advocates leadership style varying over time to complement this change.  I have experienced that the commitment of those I mentor is excellent - they just lack the skills necessary to complete many tasks.  According to the situational approach, these employees would be classified as D1 employees "low in competence and high in commitment" (Northouse, 2010).  The situational approach calls for leaders of D1 employees to use an S1 (Directing) style.  The directing style is characterized by a leader who "focuses communication on goal achievement, and spends a smaller amount of time using supportive behaviors" (Northouse, 2010).  This image depicts the various kinds of situational leadership as a function of follower competence and commitment.  The directing style is different from an authoritarian leadership style in that the needs and characteristics of followers are taken into account and have an impact on how the leader acts.

Now What?
I plan to use situational leadership with my current intern.  For the task she is presently working, I will provide clear guidance on what needs to be done and when it needs to be completed.  I will then provide close monitoring of her progress to ensure she is on the right track with her work.  I will also observe closely her development of skill and her level of commitment to see if she has transitioned in her development level.  If she increases her skill level, I will need to switch to a different form of leadership (such as S2 - Coaching) to ensure she stays engaged, happy, and productive.

Hourglass photo courtesy of pdsimao